


lovesick

by faded_dragon_flys



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Era, F/M, Fluff, Romantic Fluff, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, part of a holiday gift exchange on tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28230135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faded_dragon_flys/pseuds/faded_dragon_flys
Summary: “Jack Francis Kelly! You areunbelievablystupid. I love you, I really do, but you’re anidiot.”
Relationships: Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber Pulitzer
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	lovesick

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr for @expected-kiss as part of @newsiesgiftexchange.  
> Prompt: “either a fanfic or fanart of Jatherine (b/c I am STARVED)”

Jack knew he should probably take the day off. It was the sensible, self-preserving thing to do, and one of the other boys would be more than happy to sell in his place for the day.

Alas, Jack Kelly was not sensible, nor self-preserving.

And so there he found himself, standing in front of the distribution gates with a pounding headache and feeling like yesterday’s forgotten paper, pounded into the curb. He ignored it though, pasting on his usual smirk as he taunted the Delanceys.

Crutchie and Davey, however, were not to be fooled. The two of them cast worried looks over at Jack as he grimaced through a conversation with Les, who was entirely unaware of the older boy’s state of wellbeing. Davey pulled Jack aside just as he was about to leave.

“Jack, you ok? You don’t look so good.”

“Davey, I’m fine, what’re youse talkin’ about?”

“Youse a good liar Jack, but you can’t fool me ‘n Davey,” Crutchie said, coming up to the pair.

“I don’t know what youse mean.”

“You’re going back to the Lodging House. Me ‘n Crutchie can take your papes for the day.”

“Bu-”

“I’ll get Kath to go over.”

Well, rest assured, that got Jack to agree much faster than he otherwise would have.

One Katherine Plumber came barrelling in maybe ten minutes after Jack got back to the Lodging House. She had a familiar, exasperated Look on her face as she glared down at him lying in his bunk.

“Jack Francis Kelly! You are _unbelievably_ stupid. I love you, I really do, but you’re an _idiot_.”

“Nice ta see ya too, Kathy.”

The Look melted away and she kissed his forehead fondly.

“You can’t keep putting yourself in danger like that, Jack.”

“I wasn’t in no danger.”

Katherine gave him a fairly unimpressed look.

“A’ight, a’ight, I won’t do it again next time.”

“We both know you will, but we’ll ignore that, won’t we.”

Jack laughed and sat up.

“So what ‘chu doin’ here, huh?”

“What, can’t I visit my sweetheart when he’s sick?”

“Aww, gee, I’m touched.”

He pulled her down onto the bed with him, laughing as he did so. She fought weakly, struggling to get back up but ultimately relented. There was no use trying to escape his hold.

“So, are you going to let me go, or…?”

“Nah, I thinks we’se good like this.”

Katherine huffed and buried her face in his shirt. They lay like that for a while, simply enjoying this rare moment of (quiet) solitude together.

No newsies yelled across the lodging house, Race’s voice prominent as he chased Albert and his cigar. No younger newsies came to them to settle quarrels, faces tearstained. No clanging hurt their ears as the more clumsy newsies knocked over god-knows-what.

All they could hear was the steady bustle of New York outside and Kloppmann quietly doing his things downstairs.

Jack sighed and buried his face in Kath’s hair, closing his eyes briefly.

“Go to sleep, why don’t you?” she murmured.

He whined.

“Wanna stay up with you.”

“Go to _sleep_ , Jack, if you wanna sell your papers tomorrow.”

He shuddered.

“‘Papers’ sound weird, they’se _papes_.”

“ _Sleep_.”

“Ok, ok.”

He settled down and closed his eyes again, pulling Katherine closer as he drifted off. She smiled at him softly before also closing her eyes.  
_____

When the rest of the newsies came barrelling back into the lodging house, they were greeted by the sight of the two lovebirds snuggled together.

Race snorted as Crutchie and Davey shared a knowing look.

“How long’s they’se been sleepin’?”

“I will _murder_ you.”

**Author's Note:**

> :)


End file.
